President Donald Trump listens during a roundtable discussion on the Governors' Initiative on Regulatory Innovation in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, Dec. 16, 2019.

Zach Gibson/Bloomberg

2020 Could be Trump Administration’s Costliest for Regulations

The cost of new government regulations could reach $54.9 billion in 2020, the highest level under President Donald Trump, if agencies are able to finalize all of their proposed rules, according to a new analysis by a conservative think tank.

A trio of immigration rule changes governing asylum applications, fees, and employment authorizations are expected to run up a nearly $61 billion tab, based on compliance and other costs calculated by the administration, according to the American Action Forum. Some of those costs may be offset through savings created by other regulations, but the administration is on pace in...